Fasting glucose to leptin ratio as a new diagnostic marker in patients with diabetes mellitus

To identify the fasting glucose/leptin ratio as a new simple method for the detection of insulin resistance in Iraqi diabetes mellitus patients, and to examine its usefulness as a new marker for insulin resistance. A case control study conducted at the National Diabetes Center, College of Medicine at Al Mustansiryia University from 1 August 2008 to 30 January 2010. An enzyme spectrophotometric method was used to determine fasting glucose, while HPLC Technique determined leptin and insulin hormones in serum of patients with diabetes mellitus [n=61] and normal healthy subjects as controls [n=63]. A positive significant correlation with linear regression equations were found between fasting insulin and fasting leptin hormones, and fasting glucose/insulin and fasting glucose/leptin ratios among the diabetic patient group. While negative, significant correlations were found with linear regression equations between fasting insulin and fasting glucose/insulin ratio, and fasting insulin and fasting glucose/leptin ratio in patients group. Glucopse/leptin ratio had a higher sensitivity compared to glucose/insulin ratio, Quantitative Insulin-Sensitivity Check Index and Homeostasis Model Assessment indexes. Overall, the glucose/leptin ratio can be used in addition to glucose/insulin ratio, Quantitative Insulin-Sensitivity Check Index, and Homeostasis Model Assessment to accurately assess insulin resistance in subjects with hyperglycemia

Oxidative stress in recurrent pregnancy loss women

To investigate biochemical changes in lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and vitamin E in recurrent pregnancy loss women, and compare these with healthy pregnant, and non-pregnant women. A case control study was conducted from September 2008 to December 2009 at Al Khadimiya Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Ninety-six subjects were included in the study, 32 were patients with recurrent pregnancy loss [RPL], and 32 pregnant women in their third trimester, and another 32 non-pregnant women were used as controls. Blood samples were collected from each patient at the time of pregnancy loss. Serum from patients and controls was then used to estimate malondialdehyde [MDA], nitric oxide [NO], and vitamin E levels. There was a significant elevation in patient serum MDA compared with third trimester pregnant women [p=0.002] and non-pregnant women [p=0.0001]. Both serum vitamin E and NO levels in RPL patients also showed a highly significant decrease compared with third trimester pregnant, and non-pregnant women. A highly significant difference was found in the MDA/vitamin E ratio between RPL and control groups, while no significance was found between RPL and control groups' NO/vitamin E ratio. The decrease in NO production and vitamin E is a result of RPL and not a causative factor, as the RPL was without pathological cause, medication, or fibroid presence, and no significant difference was found between the NO/vitamin E ratio in RPL and controls group

Serum leptin and insulin hormone level in recurrent pregnancy loss

To measure serum leptin and insulin levels in women with recurrent pregnancy loss using modified methods of High Performance Liquid Chromatography [HPLC], and to examine their influence on recurrent loss at different pregnancy trimesters. A case control study was conducted from, 1 September 2008 to 30 December 2009 in the Obstetric and Gynecological Department-Al Khadimiya Teaching Hospital. HPLC technique with new modified method was used to estimate serum leptin and insulin hormones in samples of women with recurrent pregnancy loss [patients group, n=64] and healthy pregnant women at the end of the third gestational trimester as a control group [n=51]. Both serum leptin and insulin levels were high in women with pregnancy loss in their three trimesters. A significant correlation was found between age [r=0.535, p<0.018] and serum total leptin in women with RPL during the first trimester. Also, a highly significant correlation was found between serum total leptin and insulin in women with RPL during the first, second and third trimesters [r=0.894, r=0.931, and r=0.995] respectively. The number of women who lost their pregnancy during the first trimester was higher than those losing during other trimesters. It can be concluded that recurrent pregnancy loss in women at different trimester is associated with endocrine abnormalities where serum leptin and insulin levels increase in a different way compared with normal healthy pregnant women

Serum protein and prolactin as diagnostic markers

To evaluate the use of serum prolactin and total protein as a tumor marker in diagnosing uterine fibroid[s]. A case control study was carried out from March 2004 to October 2005 at Al-Kharch Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. Thirty-two patients with uterine fibroid[s] and 30 healthy normal women were involved in the study. Blood was collected from uterine fibroid patients before and after surgery. The serum total protein was measured by the Biuret method, and prolactin by the mini VIDAS ELFA technique [enzyme linked fluorescent assay]. The serum of patients with uterine fibroids before surgery showed an elevated prolactin level [169.64 +/- 133.11 ng/ml], compared with their prolactin after surgery [19.69 +/- 9.54 ng/ml], and with the control group [18.93 +/- 5.16 ng/ml]. This also increased with increasing fibroid number independently of the site, or the size of the fibroid. Serum total protein was relatively low in the patient group before surgery [5.56 +/- 9.66 g/dl], and returned to a healthy reference level after they underwent surgery [6.83 +/- 0.9 g/dl], similar to the control group level [7.18 +/- 0.75 g/dl]. Serum prolactin and serum total protein can be used as an adjuvant biochemical marker to confirm the diagnosis of uterine fibroids

Prolactin receptors in uterine leiomyomas

To identify the location of prolactin receptors in patients with uterine leiomyomas and their host myometrium as well as normal myometrium. A case control study was conducted at the College of Medicine Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq during the period from 2004-2006. The samples were collected at Obstetrics and Gynecological Departments of 4 hospitals in Baghdad City [Al-Khadimiya Teaching Hospital, Al-Noor, Al-Kharch, and Al-Saadoon Hospital]. Sections from large and small tumors [n=53] with their host myometriums and from normal myometriums [n=40] were stained immunohistochemically for prolactin receptors. Prolactin receptors were positively seen in all cases examined including patient and comparison tissues, in the form of dark brown staining. Staining was heterogenous and varied in intensity from one case to another and sometimes from one area to another in the same section. The increase in prolactin receptors in leiomyoma is expected given that the underlying host myometrium is abnormal